Game Drive Fees in Uganda: Guided, Self-Drive and UWA Vehicles
What a guide, a night drive or a UWA vehicle costs on top of park entrance.
Game drive fees are charged in addition to park entrance. If you use a private operator's vehicle with a guide, you pay a guide fee; if you drive yourself you pay a self-drive fee; and in some parks you can hire a UWA vehicle. See game drives in Uganda for what to expect.
At a glance
- Guided day drive: $25 FNR, $20 FR, UGX 25,000 EAC per guide
- Night drive: Only for tourists sleeping in the park; UWA guide mandatory
- Self-drive: $10 or UGX 10,000 per vehicle per day
- UWA vehicle: Hire per person where available
Rates
From the general tariff table:
| Activity | FNR | FR | EAC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided day game drive (private vehicle), per guide | $25 | $20 | UGX 25,000 |
| Guided night drive, per person | $30 | $20 | UGX 30,000 |
| Self-drive (no private tour guide or UWA ranger), per vehicle per day | $10 | $10 | UGX 10,000 |
| UWA game drive vehicle, day, per person | $30 | $25 | UGX 30,000 |
| UWA game drive vehicle, night, per person | $40 | $35 | UGX 40,000 |
Park-specific rates differ in places: for example, UWA's fees summary lists night drives at Murchison Falls at $40 for foreign non-residents and $35 for foreign residents, and at Kidepo and Lake Mburo at UGX 50,000 for East African citizens. The minimum charge for a UWA game drive vehicle equals 3 persons for FNR, FR and ROA and 5 persons for EAC.
About these rates. UWA states that tariff fees are subject to change without prior notice. FNR = foreign non-resident, FR = foreign resident, ROA = rest of Africa, EAC = citizen of an East African Community member state (paid in UGX). Source: Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) Conservation Tariff July 2024 to June 2026 and UWA letter ref. TDO 93/04 dated 26 February 2026.
Trucks and Buses
UWA hires game drive trucks and executive buses in savannah parks and reserves at UGX 800,000 per day including the driver and excluding fuel. For travel outside Uganda an extra UGX 330,000 service fee and $250 per day for the driver applies.
Night Drives
Night game drives are restricted to tourists sleeping within the park, and a UWA guide is mandatory. See night drives and night walks.
Using This Page When Planning Your Uganda Safari
A private guide usually adds more to a game drive than the fee suggests, particularly for first-time visitors. Pair it with what affects the cost of a Uganda safari, gorilla permits explained and how to book a Uganda safari.
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